Exercising device



Aug. 7, 1934. D. TURNER 1,969,165

EXERCISING DEVICE I Filed May 17, 1953 VE/V 70 e,

Patented Aug. 7, 1934 UNITED'FST-ATES -1.969,=16 EXERCISING DEVICE DeeZ Turner, Hollywood, Calif. Application Mayfrz, 193a,. Swain... 671,508. 1

'4 Claims.

Myinvention 1 relates to an exercising appa ratus and has for its principalobjects to generally improve upon and simplify the construction of existing forms of exercising devices and to provide i 5 a relatively simple, practical and inexpensive apparatus that may be conveniently used for exer-- cising practically all musclesof the human body and particularly the muscles in the legs, arms, back and abdomen.

Further objects of my invention are, to provide an exercising apparatus that is comparatively light in weight and very compact so that it will occupy comparatively little space whenpacked for storage or transportation and further, to provide an exercising apparatus having an elastic element connected at its ends to hand and foot engaging members which when moved away from each other, stretches the elastic element so as to produce the desired results.

my invention consists in certain novel features of construction and arrangements of parts that will be hereinafter more fully described and claimed and illustrated in the accompanying drawing in which:

Fig. l is a side elevational View of an exercising device constructed in accordance with my invention. 7

the line 22 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 7 is an elevational view of the parts seen looking in the direction indicated by the arrow '7 in Fig. 6.

Referring by numerals to the accompanying drawing and particularly to the form of device illustrated in Figs. 1 to 5 inclusive, 1O designates an elastic member preferably formed of rubber or in some instances an elongated coil of wire and formed integral with both ends of this elastic member are rings or eyes 11.

Inserted through one of the rings 11, is a rod 12 of wood or light-weight metal and the projecting ends of this rod are adapted to be grasped by the hands of the user of the device.

With the foregoing and other objectsin view' Fig. 2 is an enlarged verticalsection taken on Fig. 3 is a detail sectional view showing one end of the deviceanchored beneath a' closed door.-

Inserted through the-ring or eye 11 atthe 'opposite'end of the elastic element 10, is a rod 13 of wood or light-weight metal and which functions as afoot rest when the device is in' use. I

A flexible strap of leather of woven fabrichas its central portion bent to forma 'U -shaped mem ber 14, the parallel legs of which are positionedimmediately adjacenttothe sides of the ring oreye 11 that receives the footbar 13 and formed through the parallel legs of this U-shaped member are apertures 15 forthe accommodation of rodl3."

Formedthrough each end of the strap are two or more apertures 16 that are adapted to receive I the ends ofrod 13-andby providing'a plurality of these apertures in eachendof the strap thesame may be adjusted for the accommodation of different sized feet.

The-portions of the strap between then'ds and the U-shaped intermediate portion-14 are of inverted U-shape so as to form loops 17 that pass over the instep portions 'of the feet of the user.

A fiat flexible strap 18'-of leather orwoven fabe ricis positioned immediately above the (rod 13, with the cent'ral portion of said strap resting, on top of the ring or'eye that receives the barp13 and this strap 18 is provided with s1ots'19f or the accommodation of the strap that forms the foot receiving loops 17. Q Strap 18 -is considerably wider than the strap that forms the foot receiving loops l'l a'nd said: strap "18 provides a comfortable support for: the feet when placed' within saidloo'psi A strap 20 carries at one end a buckle 21 for the reception of the perforated opposite end of said strap and this strap extends between the lower portion of the ring or eye 11 that receives rod 13 and the lower portion of the U-shaped intermediate portion 14 of the strap that forms the foot receiving loops 17.

The doubled portions of strap 20 extend through slots that are formed in a disc 22 of leather or the like and which latter normally occupies a position adjacent to the'buckle 21.

Loosely mounted on the lower portion of strap 20, between the disc 22 and buckle 21, is a snap hook 23 which when the device is in use is adapted to engage a screw eye 24 or the like and which latter may be inserted in the floor or in the base board of a wall. 7

In Fig; 1 the lower end of the exercising device is shown connected to a screw eye that is inserted in a base board and in Fig. 3 the lower end of the device is illustrated as anchored beneath a closed door. 1170 When the device is anchored asillustratedin Fig. 3, the strap 20 passes between the lower edge of the closed door and the floor with the disc 22 bearing on said door and floor so as to prevent the strap from being pulled from its position beneath the door.

The lower end of the device may be secured to the foot rail of a bed, couch or the like or to the foot rail of the springs on a bed or couch by passing strap 20 around the foot ra'iland securing the free end of the strap to buckle 21 in the usual manner.

A person using the exercising device while standing on the floor, grasps the ends of the bar 12 in the hands and exerts pulling strains on the elastic member 10 so as to stretch the same andat the same time the users body be bent forwardly and backwardly simultaneous with the stretching and contraction of the elastic member,

"a hand bar carried by one end of said elastic thereby exercising practically all muscles in the arms, back andabdomen. r i a v The device may also be used by aperson seated or lying on the floor, a bed or couch andwhen so used, the front portions of the feet are inserted through loops 17 with the soles of the feet resting on strap 18 and the ends of bar 12 are grasped in the hands. The user now pushes the feet forwardly and at the same time pulls rearwardly upon the handle bar 13, thereby stretching elastic member 10 and during these movements the torso may be swung rearwardly and downwardly and in so doing practically all of the muscles of thepbody, arms and legs are exercised.

The form of device illustrated in Figs. 6 and 7 is particularly designed-for exercising the muscles in the legs, abdomen and back'and this form of device comprises a foot engaging bar 25 and a strap or straps mounted ;on said bar to provide a pair of inverted U-shaped foot engaging loops 26.-

A strap 27 similar to strap 20 and carrying a flexible disc 28, a buckle -29 and a snap hook 30 is secured to the central portion of the 'footbar 25 and provides means for anchoring said foot bar and the loops 26 to the floor, beneath a closed door or to the foot rail of a bed or couch.

Where this form of device is used for exercising, the user inserts the forward portion of the feet through the loops 26 and while sitting or lying upon the floor, a bed or couch, the body is moved: forwardly and rearwardly, thus exercising the,

muscles of thelegs, abdomen and'back.

Thus it will be seen that I have provided an exercising device that is relatively simple in construction, inexpensive of manufacture and very efiective in performing the functions for which it is intended.

The entire device is very compact so that it may be packed into a comparatively small space for storage or transportation and the device in use is highly effective in exercising practically allmuscles of the body, arms and legs.

It will be understood that minor changes in the size, form and construction of the various parts of my improved exercising device may be made andsubstituted for those herein shown and described without departing from the spirit of the invention, the scope of which is set forth in the appended claims. a

TI claim as my invention:

1. In an exercising device, an elastic member,

member, a foot bar-carried by the opposite end of said elastic member, a foot engaging strap mounted uponsaid foot bar, means for securing the end of the elastic member that carries the foot bar to a fixed member and a foot supporting strap mounted on said foot engaging strap directly above saidfoot bar.

2. An exercising device, comprising an elastic member, a hand bar carried by one end of said elastic member, a foot bar carried by the opposite end of said elastic member, foot engaging loops carried by said foot bar, a strap connected to the end of the elastic member that carries the foot bar and a foot supporting strap mounted on said foot engaging loops immediately above 116 said foot bar.- 1

3. An exercising device, comprising an elastic. member, a hand bar carried by-oneend of said elastic member, a foot bar carried by the opposite end of said elastic member, foot receiving straps 15' carried by said foot bar, a strap connected to the end of the device that carries said foot bar and foot engaging straps, a flexible disc carried by said strap and a snap hook carried by said st p. 126

4. In an exercising device, an elastic member,

a foot bar carried by one end thereof a strap detachably mounted on said foot bar and having inverted U-shaped portions that are adapted to receive the feet and a foot supporting strap carried by the looped portions of the first mentioned strap and positioned adjacent to said foot bar.

- '7 H DEE TURNER. 

